Governor Edward G. Rendell today signed warrants for the execution by lethal injection of Lester Fletcher, Philadelphia County, and Samuel B. Randolph, Dauphin County.

Fletcher's execution is scheduled for Tuesday, August 15; Randolph's for Thursday, August 17.

Fletcher, 38, was convicted of two first-degree murders in the February 2001 killings of David Otto and Kenneth Schofield. He was formally sentenced on August 22, 2002.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed Fletcher's sentence on November 18, 2004. His petition to the United States Supreme Court for writ of certiorari was denied on March 27, 2006.

In May 2003, Samuel Randolph was convicted and sentenced to die for the shooting deaths of Thomas Easter and Anthony Burton. His conviction and sentences were upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in an opinion dated May 16, 2005.

In January of this year, Randolph filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court. Certiorari was denied on April 3, 2006.

Both men are inmates at the State Correctional Institution Greene.

Governor Rendell has now signed 57 execution warrants.

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